Sunday, November 9, 2008

I came home from work and noticed very ripe bananas on my countertop. Until recently, I, like most people, would think of two options for these bananas: banana bread or the trash. Certainly I'm not crazy enough to eat the mushy things raw or in cereal! Ok, I'll admit that since I'm a baker, I have plenty of ideas for ripe bananas, but banana bread is still the first one that comes to mind.

Here's the thing, though. Ever since I started making ice cream, I've been looking at ingredients around my kitchen differently. Now I look at ripe bananas and have three likely, no-brainer options. Banana ice cream would be a cinch to make, and why should banana bread get all the glory?

And armed with that, I have just officially one-upped my two-option friends. Neener neener.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and beginning to give off some liquid. Let cool. Remove the skins from the bananas. Puree the bananas in a food processor.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt. Combine the milk, cream, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Slowly pour the milk and cream into the eggs, whisking as you pour. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula, until the custard reaches 175 degrees F and lightly coats the spatula.

Strain the custard into a clean bowl and cool over an ice bath until room temperature. Stir the banana puree into the custard. Cover and refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is almost done, add the chocolate chips and churn for about 3 minutes or until incorporated. Freeze until scoopable, about 4 hours, depending on your freezer.

Step-by-Step in Pictures

Place ripe bananas on baking sheet...Bake them until liquid oozes out of them...Let the bananas cool in their peel, and then remove the peel...Puree the bananas...Meanwhile, prepare the custard mixture and strain over an ice bath...Add the banana puree, stir well, and then chill in fridge overnight...Churn into ice cream and add the chocolate chips about 3 minutes before finishing...Homemade banana chocolate chip ice cream!Voila!

Great step by step pictures - they're very helpful! I always forget to take pictures when I make ice cream! Banana ice cream is wonderful...but I agree...it tastes even better with a little chocolate! Well done!

Your ice cream looks delicious. I just made some banana ice cream myself the other day. I ate some then turned it into a banana ice cream pie. I've been planning to try making a banana split ice cream with chocolate and cherries mixed in to the ice cream. Not sure when I'll get around to it though.

jenn - thanks. :) it's so true. i could add chocolate to anything and it would be improved tenfold.

ice cream freaks - what a great idea. because i'm quickly running out of room in my freezer since i make so much ice cream now, and maybe i should take a stab at an ice cream pie that uses the whole recipe in one go!

carolyn - i am with you! i LOVE bi-rite. when i'm in the city, i try to stop there and order one of their pre-designed sundaes. they are all incredible.

I am totally trying this. We always have ripe bananas at my house... my number one thing that comes to mind is actually banana, chocolate chip mini muffins. They are soooo yummy, but I could never say no to ice cream! =)

About Marni

I’ve always loved baking. I come from a family of amazing bakers going back many generations. And I have two large bookcases in my living room, both of them filled only with my 1000 cookbooks. I even considered it as a career and almost attended pastry school in San Francisco after college. But I went the route of digital marketing and got a Masters in Communication Management from the Annenberg School for Communication at USC. So baking is just a hobby. But I take hobbies seriously! And getting to moonlight as a baker is a great thing. I’m very happy.